1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a tongue adapted to cover the instep and a portion of the user's lower leg in a boot with a high upper, particularly for a boot of the flexible type. The invention is also directed to the boot provided with the tongue, a reinforced tongue in particular. The invention is more specifically directed to a tongue, and a boot incorporating such tongue, adapted to practicing a sport.
Such a boot can be used in a field such as snowboarding, skiing, water skiing, snowshoeing, roller skating, ice skating, skateboarding, mountain climbing, walking, or the like.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Traditionally, in the field of snowboarding, a flexible boot includes a sole and a high upper. The upper has an opening, extended by a longitudinal opening, or slit, to ease the passage of a user's foot. Here, a flexible upper designates an upper made from materials that are not completely rigid, and that allow a certain bending of the leg.
The longitudinal opening extends between a lateral quarter and a medial quarter of the boot. The longitudinal opening allows a relative spacing of the quarters from one another. A tongue blocks the longitudinal opening at least partially when the quarters are brought close together.
Because the tongue is flexible, the upper portion of the upper can bend easily, particularly toward the front. This allows the user to bend the lower leg easily toward the front.
It has been proposed to reinforce the tongue by means of a reinforcement that extends substantially over the length of a flexible panel of the tongue in order to limit the forward bending of the upper and of the lower leg. Towards that end, the reinforcement is made of a semi-rigid or rigid frame having at least one bending zone. An abutment limits the bending value of the reinforcement and, consequently, of the upper.
In the reinforcement, before the action of the abutment, only the bending zone becomes deformed. Thus, the tongue adapts itself to the deforming of the upper.
As soon as the abutment acts, the entire reinforcement opposes a forward bending of the upper. A much more substantial bending force is then required in order to continue the bending of the upper.
The reinforcement avoids or substantially reduces the risk of excessive forward bending of the lower leg. Thus, certain shocks are avoided or are less serious. The reinforcement also gives the user a support that allows a better transmission of sensory information.
Nevertheless, it has been noted that it is difficult to anticipate the action of the abutment. The activation of the latter is relatively abrupt, which oftentimes hinders the steering of the board.